


untitled

by pendules



Series: project 6 [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 12:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1509971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pendules/pseuds/pendules
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liverpool vs. Chelsea CL semifinal (second leg - 07/08).</p>
            </blockquote>





	untitled

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in July, 2008.

They sit at a bar in London, side by side, as they did once before (three years ago, and it seems both near and far tonight) in Istanbul, a strange place to both, but by the end, it was almost home to one and hell to the other. (Familiar. Like home is to one and hell is to the other.)

But tonight, they're alone. Sheva knows about loneliness; Stevie did, once, in those weeks when they were burning his shirt, the days he cried while watching the telly. 

Stevie wants to tell him, Look, mate, sometimes, football is merciless. Life is merciless. Sometimes, you make bad decisions. Sometimes, it gets way so fucked up, you can't even believe it. But sometimes, too, sometimes, you can make up for it. But you have to admit it too. You have to say, "I'm human. And we all make mistakes. And I'm sorry." And you have to admit that this isn't what you wanted, that you're not happy. Sometimes, you have to admit what the world is telling you, what everyone else knows. Sometimes, you have to say it for yourself, just to hear yourself say it.

"Some people are meant to stay; others are meant to leave."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes."

"I meant do you really believe it about you?"

"Ye—"

"I don't think you know."

"And you do?"

"No. No. I know you don't."

"I—"

"It's not about people, who they are. Sometimes, you just don't leave."

He continues, as Sheva only contemplates his drink.

"I think. I think you would have been happier getting knocked out with Milan than winning with them. That's how I knew."

And: "No one believes it, but football, it's not all about winning."

"Do you believe it?"

"I didn't at first. But things change. People change. People come and go." He shrugs, like he's learnt to accept it (you never really do—the leaving nor the losing), and raises his glass to his lips. 

(But sometimes, you just don't leave.)


End file.
